Clinical Interests

Cardiology

Biography

A native of Fondi, Italy, Dr. Abbate joined the VCU Pauley Heart Center as Assistant Professor of Medicine and was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Medicine and of Physiology and Biophysics in July 2013. He was selected for the James C. Roberts Esquire Professorship in Cardiology in October 2013. Dr. Abbate divides his time between the Coronary Intensive Care Unit, the General Cardiology Practice, and sees patients in the Ambulatory Care Center at VCU Medical Center.

Dr. Abbate is the recipient of numerous awards and honors in both Italy and the United States, including several Young Investigator Awards for cardiology research, induction into AOA Honor Medical Society in 2005, and several Excellence in Teaching awards. He is a member of the European Society of Cardiology, the American Heart Association Basic Science Council and the American College of Physicians.

Dr. Abbate also leads a multidisciplinary team conducting Clinical and Translational Research Program. He is the lead investigator in several preclinical research studies in the VCU Pauley Heart Center and the Victoria Johnson Research Laboratories, examining the role of inflammation in heart disease. Dr. Abbate is also principal investigator or co-investigator on pilot clinical studies funded by the National Institute of Health, the American Heart Association, or Industry, aimed at identifying novel anti-inflammatory therapies for patients with acute myocardial infarction or heart failure.

Dr. Abbate is the Medical Director of Clinical Research Unit in the C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research. He has authored or co-authored over 200 articles, reviews and editorials that have been published in professionals journals. In addition, he has participated in more than 300 oral and poster presentations to national and international meetings. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Cardiology, the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, PLOSONE, and Translational Medicine, and he is a peer reviewer for over a twenty international journals. For a list of recent publications completed at VCU, click here.

Clinical Interests

Biography

Dr. Nayef Abouzaki is an interventional cardiologist. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, Echocardiography and Nuclear Cardiology. His areas of interest include coronary artery disease, chronic total coronary occlusions, acute cardiogenic shock, peripheral artery disease and inflammation and the heart.

“The culture of innovation and research, along with partnership with great faculty, are some of the characteristics that attracted me here,” he said.

He received his M.D. from Eastern Virginia Medical School, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, then completed his residency and fellowships in both Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology at VCU.